Sparkle and Fade
by twang
Summary: "Our past may shape us, but it doesn't define who we become." Charon/OC Prewar fic, inspired by Arlena4815162342.
1. The Institute

_Soo, I'm making me a pre-war story for Charon. I can't help myself. Arlena4815162342 inspired me with her story._

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"**Our past may shape us, but it doesn't define who we become."  
― Ellen Hopkins**

She didn't look like much, sitting at the bar in one of the Dot's Diner near Springvale Elementary. Her pale fingers curled around the handle of a coffee mug, raising the glass towards her pink lips slowly, lazily. Her free hand cradled an old book in her hand, Paradise Lost was written in loopy letters on the cover. She crossed her legs slowly, lazily still, and looked around the diner.

The diner was full of children today, children who were buzzing with excitement about their baseball game. A few of the children had bats on their backs, one was tossing an old worn baseball into the air. The young girl didn't smile, didn't do anything besides close her book and place her money in a worn waitress' boney hands. The old woman smiled in appreciation, but by the time she did so the young woman was already walking down the sidewalk towards the elementary school.

There were small children pouring out of the front doors to the school. The area was abuzz with small squeaky voices and the sounds of dress shoes clicking against the pavement. Some children walked down the side walks while others ran to their parents in Corvegas and old beat up cars.

There was one child, a young girl with silky black hair and probably the nicest uniform of all of the children running around her. She was leaning against one of the beams to the cover outside the doors, her thumbs playing with the straps to her backpack. Her large green eyes wandered around the parking lot, looking for the one person she wanted to see today.

Her eyes found the young woman, a grin breaking out on her face as she raised towards the woman. Their shared green eyes lit up when connected with each other.

"Mommy!" the tiny girl cried, attaching herself to the woman's bare legs.

The woman chuckled and wrapped her arms around the girls back, Paradise Lost thumping against her back "Hey sweet heart. How was school today?"

They started walking back past the diner, towards the bus stop. "It was great! We got a special field trip planned later this year and we have to make good grades on the big tests to go! They haven't told us where were going but they said it's a lot of fun!"

The young woman smiled, sitting with her daughter on the bus stop bench. "That's good sweetheart. So that means you need to study extra hard right?"

The little girls face went blank and then her bottom lip popped out. "No fair."

Her mother laughed, stroking her hair. They had been on their own since the little girl, Amy, had been a toddler. They weren't poor, not by any means, physically at least. Her mother, Evangeline, had been emotionally scarred by the abandonment her boyfriend had inflicted upon her when the baby was found to indeed be his. He had loved her…swore to it. How could he just pack up his apartment and moved to New York so easily when he had created life with her?

The bus hissed to a stop in front of them and Evangeline hurried Amy onto it, squishing her and her daughter in a small open seat in the back. Amy prattled on about her day at school, everything from lunch to her friends in the hallway. Evangeline just stared out the window, at the passing buildings and happy faces. She nodded at the right times, smiled at others. She loved her daughter, but so many things were on her mind today.

Truth be told Evangeline was never a talkative or social person by nature, she was only social when her job came into play. But she couldn't let her daughter know what she did to keep them stable, to keep them in the big house, to keep them in nice clothes and have nice food in their bellies.

"Mommy our stops up ahead."

Evangeline shook herself out of her reverie and jumped up, holding onto her daughters hand after she flicked the bell beside the driver. The old balding man looked up, shocked it seemed then slowed to a stop just a little past the stop. Evangeline smiled one of her killer smiles and nudged her daughter towards the exit. The small girl waved at the driver and they stepped out to the bus stop. The young mother pulled her daughter into her arms, looking around cautiously before she hurried into the two story tall building to their left.

Amy cheered when their Dobermans, D' Angelo and Rufus, skidded to a stop in front of her, licking the young girls face enthusiastically.

"Amy, go upstairs and change into your relaxing clothes and don't forget your shoes. I'm gonna get Marcus to drive you to Aunt Clare's." Evangeline told her daughter, setting her purse on the table in the foyer.

Amy nodded enthusiastically then ran towards the stairs, being closely followed by the large dogs. Rufus hesitated at the foot of the steps, whining to is master before hurrying up the stairs. Evangeline sighed and checked her reflection in the mirror, using her fingers to comb through her long wavy black hair before fixing her makeup and smoothing out her short black dress. She grabbed her black trench coat before she stepped out into the nippy air again.

Marcus was right where he was supposed to be, by his black car behind Evangeline's personal car, her driver Charlie stretching his arms over his head.

"Hello Marcus, are you ready to take Amy?" Evangeline lit a cigarette.

"Yes Madam, I will go inside and retrieve her myself after you leave, to give her time to get ready on her own."

Evangeline nodded and walked over to her private car. Charlie opened the door for her and she nodded in appreciation, slinging herself into the back seat. The door slammed shut beside her and she puffed on her cigarette, sighing in relief when Charlie rolled the window down for her. The white smoke stalled and was sucked out into the city air. The city at sundown was beautiful, the red sun sending warm rays over and through the tall buildings. She could feel the subway trains rumbling under the city, see the large buses and all the other cars whiz past her, stop at crosswalks.

The city was so alive, and Evangeline liked that. She liked the constant movement, the way the city lit up at night. D.C. was her happy little home. Well, happy big home.

The sleek black car slid into a stop in front of a tall mansion, several times larger than her own house. The mansion was snuggled on the outskirts of the actual city and surrounded by un-suspecting cows they used as a cover for devious planning. In the large garage was only two other vehicles, a car similar to hers and a bright red Corvega.

Evangeline shrugged out of the car, rotating her shoulders and stomping out her cigarette into the pavement of the garage floor. Charlie stayed by the car, but Evangeline sauntered toward the door into the mansion, seeing no guards when she came through to the company room. Her and the man living her had talked business a lot, they knew each other enough now to not have to deal with guards at this point.

The young woman eased into an office upstairs, smiling at the balding man behind a wide oak desk. He smiled at her too, standing up in a pinstripe suit, minus the dress jacket.

"Eva! It's such a pleasure to see you here, I have been waiting all morning. James said he saw you waiting at a bus stop today. Why did you not have one of your drivers pick you and your daughter up?"

Evangeline fell into one of the fluffy leather chairs in front of the desk while the balding man sat in his swivel chair again, shuffling papers to the side. Evangeline fingered the corner of her half empty cigarette packet before she cleared her throat, stuffing the pack into the trench pocket. She balanced a cigarette between her lips and lit it, exhaling a strong nicotine scent into the air.

"I do not want Amy apart of this until she is old enough to understand. My daughter is only seven years old after all."

"Amy is a very bright child, speaking perfect English already. I think she could handle it."

Evangeline glared at the man behind the desk. "Quiet Freddy. What would you do if I introduced your youngest to this world? I hear you moved him up to Old Olney with your wife to keep him away."

They exchange fierce dominating glares, Evangeline winning. She was young to the world of gangs, the old fashioned Italian kind, but she was dominating every gang at a rapid rate, having only a handle full of actual soldiers. Freddy stood no chance against her soldiers, but he knew her one weakness.

"Have you heard of this House fellow?"

Evangeline tensed up, digging her nails into the leather arm rests, her cigarette burning in her hand. "Yes, I have. I heard he was looking for me."

Freddy nodded, leaning back in his chair like they did in the movies. "Yes, he asked for you specifically when all of us had a meeting discussing the war. You were absent and he said you were the reason he came. What are your ties to him?"

Evangeline scoffed, puffing on her cigarette, ashing it in a nearby ashtray. "

"I have no ties to that man, he is simply a delusional man pining for me, not the first."

Freddy chuckled and leaned forward again, lighting himself a half burned cigar. "Sounds right. Well, what is it you wanted to discuss with me today?"

"I was looking to get a bodyguard from you, it concerns House in particular. I want a good guard for my daughter. Do you know of any possible candidates?"

Freddy looked up at the ceiling, inhaling slowly on his cigar while Evangeline studied him, puffing on her fading cigarette. Freddy clapped his hands after a moment, looking at Evangeline with excited eyes.

"The Institution!"

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_Sorry it was so short. I got distracted by kittens…_


	2. New Life

_Thank you Arlena4815162342 for your review!_

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**Charon**

I graduated on my birthday, December 19.

I was twenty three then, stone faced and uncaring, ready to leave, ready to taste the outside air untainted with blood and leather. I had received my own weapons, a high grade combat shotgun and an engraved combat knife. It read my name, _Charon_ on the cold steel blade. The leather I wore was knew, smelling strong of its own musk and creaking when I walked.

I was following three of my trainers down the main hallway with two other graduates of Roosevelt Academy: Argyle and Demini. The only things that set us apart were my height, our hair color and gender. Demini was a rather attractive female with snowy hair down to her mid back, the wavy strands tied in a bun on her long neck. Argyle was a man of twenty with deep brown hair and a stocky set.

Demini was being sent to the White House to be a personal guard of our current president. Argyle was being sent to guard some scientist in the Pentagon. My employer was still known as 'they'. My trainers were fretting about it, babbling in-coherent worries towards each other. They didn't want to let me go to 'them', but since 'they' had paid for my contract by some obscene amount 'they' could have me. Like I was some fucking dog. But that is all we were to these people, dogs of the military. We were trained to be the best of the best, to never lose and always reach any target set for us. And I was the best of the best for the job, the two beside me were just bodyguards. They had no contract, no ties to someone like I would have.

"This isn't what he was trained for."

"This money will fund more soldiers. Let's just get them sent off so we can talk to them. they're waiting outside. Argyle, Demini go to the West entrance."

Both turned down the right hallway obediently, I still followed my trainers. They all had sweat on their brows and were staring intently into a beige folder. The double doors buzzed open and we seemed to glide out into the parking lot.

Snow littered the ground everywhere, landing at our feet only to be trampled by our boots. I relished in the evening sky, lit by purples against the snow and sun. The cold air bit at my bare arms and face, making my muscles ripple in a comfortable way. I stopped behind my trainers while they hesitated, their heads swiveling around the parking lot. I did not follow their eyes immediately, just filed behind them as we started walking again.

When I did look up my eyes turned to true, predatory eyes. There were four men standing in each corner of the lot, their hands folded in front of them. They all wore net pinstripe suits and sunglasses. When they saw us they turned to stare out of the parking lot.

There was a thin figure beside the only car in the lot, a long sleek black car that was not quite a limo. The gray trench coat they wore fluttered in the wind and I saw their long fingers bring up a cigarette to their face. Long raven curls fell down their back in shining waves. When they turned to us I was caught off guard by a bright pair of green eyes. Her plump ruby lips opened to release several smoke rings.

"Ms. Almeida, Charon's contract and personal papers."

She ashed her cigarette, turning over her hand so my trainers could slide the papers into her hand. She looked them over methodically, nodding to herself occasionally as she flipped through them. Her eyes flashed up to me, scanning my face quickly, before they darted back down to the papers. Eventually she flicked her cigarette away, waving away my trainers with the same hand and started to circle me in a critical way. She stopped in front of me, coming up barely to my shoulder.

"He's the best, you say?" the accent held barely an ounce of Italian from years of it being weaned out of her.

"Yes, as you requested. And Ms. there is still the matter of when your payment will arrive."

"You will get it. I would like to speak to Charon privately. Is there some where we can do this that is not inside?"

"You may use our training grounds. Just down the stairs and to your right."

"Thank you, Charon follow me."

I felt a tug in my chest, a lot stronger than I thought this tug would be. I didn't think it could move me on its own, make my legs move and mind blank to anything except this woman that held my contract so tightly in her long hands.

She sat on one of the benches under the large tree in the center of the courtyard. She pats the seat beside her which I took with a nearly silent thank you. The men from before stood on the walls, their backs to us with their hands folded behind them. Why would she need these guards? This many at least. She should only need one. Me, and that's now. Why did she need me anyway? I was a military dog, not an average guard like the ones on the walls.

"So Charon, do you know who I am? What I do?"

"No, Miss Almeida."

"Do not call me that, you will call me Evangeline, or Eva whichever you want I really don't care. So your superior officers never spoke to you about me?" I shook my head no, she scoffed and lit her cigarette. "Of course they didn't. Damn military trainers, I'm gonna choke Freddy for not scaring them more."

I watched her with slightly wide eyes. She _scared _my trainers? Or this Freddy guy did, but she was the one who had him scare them? What was she? Who was she?

"Well Charon, let me tell you. You are one of many bodyguards I have. Many people want me dead and I expect you to take care of them when I tell you to."

"I will do as you command."

"Good, good," she leaned onto her knees. "Now we need to discuss you payment."

"I do not require payment."

She stared at me blankly then sighed, taking a drag off of her cigarette. "Well you will be paid. We'll discuss you situation with this contract when we get to the house. Right now we will discuss basics."

I nodded. "Yes Madam."

She flinched, ashing her cigarette before she took another drag. "In front of any Family, especially my Family and Freddy's you will call me Don Almeida. In front of the public you will call me either Evangeline or Eva, as I said before."

I watched her smoking her cigarette and wondered about the problems with her. She said the Family, or any other. What was she a part of, the mob? That would explain the family thing and the guards around us and the ones she was talking about. But I never knew women could be a part of the mob, let alone a Don. She did look the part though, and that made me wary. I would have to kill men with armies at their disposal, but isn't that what I was trained for? I guess she would use me for my correct purpose.

She stood and flicked her cigarette off to the side, shoving her hands into her coat pockets. "Ok, let's go then."

I stood with her, following her closely as we walked back to the parking lot. My trainers were gone, and the guards were back. How had they gotten back here so quickly? Were they soldiers too? I doubted it, they wouldn't be wearing suits like that. they'd be wearing armor like mine. A man with red hair smiled at us and opened the back door to the car, letting us slide in quickly.

"Thank you Charlie, now can you drive us home? Marcus should have picked Amy up from school by now."

He nodded and shut the door, jogging around the car to the driver's seat. I could feel the cold radiating off of Evangeline and wondered why that was. Usually when someone comes from the cold their body heat is elevated, but hers seemed to have plummeted. But she wasn't shaking, she seemed perfectly comfortable, resting her forehead against the glass. I stared out of the window as well, watching the city zoom past, watched the smiling faces of citizens going about their daily business.

I was never that way, I remember my parents giving me up. I remember being pried from my mother's arms at the age of ten and being trained to do things no normal human can think of doing. No one would want to do the things I can do. Evangeline seems to be able to accept my vicious nature already, even if she hasn't seen it. I am sure she has seen her fair share of death and other horrible things being a part of the mob. I am sure if she sees me doing what I was trained to do she would not bat an eyelash.

We stopped beside a tall building, a fountain pouring water between it and a hotel. The White House was right beside the home, lit up by lawn lights and separated from the public by a tall pointed fence. There was a road leading in front of the White House, on the side of the home we were walking towards, with an entrance to a metro and a bench full of people.

On the inside of the house was a large foyer, a crystal chandelier hanging high above our heads. In front of us was a wide staircase leading upstairs. There were two open doors on either side of us, one leading to an entertainment room, the other leading to a large kitchen where a small figure sat perched on a barstool. It was a beautiful young girl, whose green eyes matched Evangeline's. Her small mouth opened into a tooth baring grin and she jumped from the stool, racing towards Evangeline so she could grab onto her legs.

"Mom! Your home!" she looked at me for a moment, scooting to hide herself in her mother's side. "Who is he?"

Evangeline chuckled and put a hand on her daughters back, pushing her towards me. "This, Amy, is Charon. He will be living with us."

The young girl stared up at me with innocent eyes. "Are you my new daddy?"

Evangeline barked out a harsh laugh while my eyes grew wide. "Amy, no Charon is going to be our bodyguard. Like Carl is to Uncle Freddy."

The young girl's mouth popped into an O. "Alright that makes sense."

Evangeline watched her run off upstairs. "Her father left us the moment he knew she was his. She's wanted a father ever since, but I just don't like any man I find. Once they find out I am with the mob they either turn tail and run or ask for money and anything else I can spare."

I watched her sad form curve in on herself for a moment before she stood straight and shrugged off her coat, throwing it onto a table in the center of the foyer. She smoothed out the front of her short gray dress and turned to me with a white smile. "Alright, let's show you to your room."


	3. The Start

_Hope this thing is any good._

_Review please. Thank you._

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**Charon**

I didn't get my own room until I was seventeen years of age in the Institute. Even then the room was small, the walls a plain white, the best sheets gray and the one dresser white as the walls. The floor was cold tile. I wasn't allowed out of the room until someone came for me and even then it was only for training, early in the morning, late at night.

Now, looking at the massive room I was, I have never hated my old room more.

It was large, maybe as large as the foyer, with tan walls and a queen bed in the center. The sheets were a light green and the bed posts were black, reaching up to the ceiling. There were two dressers on either side of the door, both smooth tan wood like the nightstand beside the bed. To our left was an open door leading to a bathroom decorated in white and marble, not nearly as big as the bedroom, but close enough. The carpet was tan, maybe an inch thick and I could feel it sink with my weight.

"Ok, so this is your room," Evangeline had her hands folded in front of her. "Um, if you want you can wander around the house, I mean I can find you. But I do not want you leaving the house unless I say you can or I tell you too ok?" I nodded. "Now, like I said you can wander around the house freely, day or night. I don't really care."

"I prefer to stay with you at all times."

She smiled a little, then her face went serious and she turned to me fully."Charon, I really got you to guard not just me but my child. Amy is the most important thing to me in this world, and I want to make sure she gets as much protection as I can offer."

"Yes, Eva."

That seemed to brighten her mood and she smiled a wide smile, showing off her perfect teeth. "Good thing you understand. Now I am hungry, so get settled in and I will go start supper. We are safe here, I have twenty five guards around this house, all armed and dangerous. This is your safe haven, Charon. I want you to know this."

I nodded again and waited for her to leave. I shut the door behind her and turned back to the room, preparing to survey my room. Investigate. I am like an animal in a new environment after all of that training. I need to check everything out, learn every nook and cranny of my new living area before I can be settled. I started in the bathroom, picking through the soaps and hair cleaners in the shelves, the smell of the towels and the cleanliness of the shower. I worked my way out back into the bedroom, picking through the old clothes in the closet and looking under the bed at a few dusty boxes. I sniffed through the dressers, the men's clothes that seemed normal enough that I could possibly try them on in the future.

I set my gun in the top drawer of my dresser to the left of the door if you're walking out and shrugged out of the top of my armor, setting it neatly beside the weapon in the corner. I would keep my knife with me, I don't think I could possibly take it away from my body, even if I was asleep. I took a deep, calming breath before I stepped out into the hallway.

Amy was leaving what I guessed was her room when I closed my door. She stared at me for a moment, her eyes holding nothing but curiosity. She moved closer to me, her hands pulled up to her chest.

"You sure you aren't my new daddy?" he sweet voice asked me.

"I am not, why do you ask?"

She looked down. "Cus I never had a daddy, and mommies always alone. I hear her cry sometimes at night."

She looked back up at me and I could tell she was sad. Evangeline cried at night? For what, a man or just a father for her child? I didn't care myself, but my training made me sympathetic towards my employer and I wanted her to be happy. But I could do nothing to help her.

"I am sorry. I never had a father myself."

Of course I did, but he was just a blur to me now. my mother was the only one I remember clearly. Her bright smile and red hair.

Amy smiled, reaching out for my hand. Hers was so small in mine. "Lets go eat, momma is a good cook."

I let her pull me along, not complaining. It was weird, to hold hands with such a small human child. I had never done such a thing, tenderness was absent for me most of my life. this child was sweet, it radiated through her tiny body and warmed my heart temporarily.

The kitchen smelt of cheese and meat when we entered, I could see cut olives spread out on the island in the middle of the room and alongside onions and French bread. Eva was stirring meat on the stove, tossing seasonings and other things into the mix. I sat on a bar stool beside Amy, her hand having left mine the moment I lifted her onto the stool. Her giggling from me lifting her so high into the air so easily caught Eva's attention and she smiled over her shoulder.

"So, I see you to are getting along well." She turned back to the food she was cooking.

Amy plucked up a couple olives and started chewing, talking around her food. "Charon lifted me really high into the air! You should've seen me momma!"

It wasn't that high to me, but I guess because of her stature it was an amazing feat for her.

Eva chuckled, turning to the island we sat at and setting the skillet of meat beside the pan of split bread. "So, Charon, how much do you want?" she gestured to the pan of food before the slid the now meat and cheese covered bread into the oven.

"What is it?"

"Pizza of course!" Amy chirped, swiping up another hand full of olives.

"Only one piece, please."

Eva smiled and nodded, tapping her nails against the white stove top. "Ok, so I have to go meet up with a few people tomorrow, I want you to stay here with Amy."

"Why do I have to stay home tomorrow?" Amy whined.

"Because Uncle Freddy wants me to meet some of his friends and were gonna be talking about grown up things. There aren't gonna be any children there for you to play with."

"I could just swim in the pool with Charon!"

Now why did that strike a chord in my chest? I watched the small girl, watched her pout at her mother, glaring at the table top. I chuckled for the first time in a long time, scratching the back of my head.

"No, Amy. Maybe Charon can take you somewhere tomorrow. Wouldn't you like that? Maybe he can take you to Miriam's, hmm? Wouldn't you like that?"

Amy's face lit up in utter happiness and she cheered, tilting back on her stool. I reached out casually and grabbed onto the back of her stool, pushing her upright again. She didn't seemed fazed by it at all and started blabbering about nonsense. I saw a glass slide into my vision, filled with ice and half full of a bubbling liquid. I looked up at Eva, who was smiling warmly at me.

"What is this?" I ask, fingering the rim of the glass.

"It's Nuka-Cola, never had any?" she went to the stove and pulled the pizza's out, setting them on the stove top and turning on a small fan to cool them down.

"I was only allowed water my whole life."

"Well try that, it's absolutely delicious." She leaned back against the stove, smiling at me.

I stared at the drink menacingly, trying to figure it out I guess. I had never drank soda, I heard it burned, but it wasn't painful like fire. It was supposed to be delicious. I grabbed the glass, drowning out the sound of Eva and Amy babbling around me, and raised the glass to my lips. It did burn, but it wasn't bad. It was actually kind of pleasant. I decided I liked this drink, a lot.

"Well, what do you think?" Eva leaned over the table top, her face inches from mine.

I noted the distinct scent of peppermint coming from her mouth. "It is better than I thought it would be."

Eva chuckled and went back to the food, grabbing three plates from the cabinet above her microwave and started to separate our food. She slid one piece to me, one to Amy and kept one for herself. Amy dug into her food like a child would while Eva and I picked our food apart slowly.

"You don't talk a lot do ya?" Amy asked.

I looked between the two girls around me. "No, I do not." And I went back to my food.

Eva chuckled and walked around the island, setting her plate beside her daughters. She placed a hand on Amy's back and bent down to whisper something in her ear. The small girl turned around to me.

"Hey, can you help me off of my seat?"

I nodded and grabbed a hold of her hand, lifting her with ease into the air and set her on the tiled floor. She giggled and grabbed her plate, racing off into another room. Eva smiled at the doorway and sat in the same stool Amy had, picking at her food again.

"She is quite easy to please."

"Yes, I can tell." I mumbled, finishing off my food.

Eva took my plate and hers to the sink, turning on the water for them to soak. She looked back at me with sad eyes. "I told Amy to go get changed into some warmer clothes. Were going out for ice cream. You can come if you want to."

I nodded and stood, excusing myself to my room so I could get the top part of my armor. I know I cannot take my rifle and that makes my skin itch. But I do not want to upset my employer so I leave my room without it. Amy is there, wandering around my door. When she sees me she grabs a hold of my hand and we walk down to the foyer. Eva is there with a small pink jacket and a large black one similar to her own in her hands. She passes off the oink one to Amy who lets go of my hand to put it on. I take the coat from Eva's hands and slide it on, amazed it fits me perfectly.

"It was my fathers. I figured he was about your side, guess I was right. Alright, Charlie is waiting for us outside so let's get going."

I don't know what to do with the things that are going on around me.

There are so many people talking, so many people laughing and walking. I am not stressed by this, it is just confusing to me. I was never with this many people at one time and it concerns me that I will snap on accident. I doubt it will happen, but I am still cautious about this.

Amy stands on the tips of her toes to tell the elderly woman what flavor she want while Eva holds onto her hand, chewing on her left thumb nail. I watch all of the patrons in this A Cuppa Joe, watch them kiss and laugh and hold hands. It is weird to see normal people interact with each other in public.

"Charon, do you want any?" I hear Eva ask over the buzz in the little shop.

I turn to her, see her green eyes analyzing me. "No."

She nods and pays for their order, walking towards the door. I follow obediently and grit my teeth when the cold air nips at my skin. The city is alive at night, probably beautiful to most. To me it was loud and obnoxious. We were walking towards the car now, fighting past the mob of people walking towards us. I do not like this, being so close to strangers. It is sickening to me.

I breathe a sigh of relief when I am bathed in the warm air of the car, shrugging out of my coat. Eva buckles Amy in across from us and then does so to herself. I follow her example and buckle myself in, my eyes going out the window to watch lights blur past us.

"You don't like social situations, do you Charon?"

I look back at Eva, but she is not looking at me, she's staring at the pink ice cream on her cone. "No, I do not. I am not used to it."

"I figured, I watched the way you're back eased up when we got into the car. Honestly I hate it too, but I love the city. I don't know how Freddy lives on the outer edge of the city, so far from the lights and conveniences of the city."

"Uncle Freddy is awesome, he has a big pool and a big house and he had horses! I wanna ride one tomorrow, but momma won't let me go." The young girl hinted, licking her chocolate ice cream.

I have a feeling Amy is going to talk to me a lot, and I don't seem bothered by that. I can understand a child better than an adult. I have only dealt with cruel adults, never children.

Eva sighed. "No Amy, maybe next weekend ok?"

Amy sighed and went back to her ice cream. I wondered who Miriam was, I would be taking the small child there tomorrow after all. I guess I could ask Eva, but I will save the questions for later when we are alone. If we are alone at some point.

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_You know the perfect band to listen to when typing up Fallout 3 or Hills Have Eyes fanfics? Tool, mostly Vicarious and The Pot, a little Forty Six & two too. Ha, I said too too._


	4. Red Turf

_I just realized I typed up the first chapter in third person POV. Sorry about that. I don't know where my brain was when I started typing this up. I don't plan on the chapters being super long so no flames on that subject._

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**Evangeline**

Charon is sweet with Amy.

I'm watching him wait with her driver to pull up. She's swinging from his arm now like he's a jungle gym and it warms my heart to know he actually doesn't mind it. I hope Miriam isn't too rough on him. I love that girl, but her annoying tongue gets in between our loving relationship. She's cursed me out a couple times, but I can't stay mad at her. Plus, she and Amy get along so well. I can't take that from my daughter, or Miriam.

I see the familiar car pull up and watch Charon help Amy into the car, tapping my nails on the granite table top. D' Angelo and Rufus wagged their tails beside me, long tongues letting drool drain onto my floor. I sighed and left the kitchen once my daughter was out of sight and made my way to my room to look for decent clothes. I didn't want to go alone today, but I want Amy to go somewhere else and I wanted her safe. I flipped the clothes through my closet and started to grind my teeth. I am a stickler for looks in these meetings. Image meant everything at a meeting of the Dons. If you didn't have an image, you weren't taken very seriously.

I settled on a short gray dress with buttons up the front. It took a lot of jumping to zip it up, but I got it done, running my hands over my stomach as I swayed in the mirror in my closet. This would do. I think this could be better than any black dress I could wear. I grabbed up my trench coat and shrugged it on, nearly jogging down the stairs in my heels and jumping out the door. My heels clicked on the side walk, another noise amongst the lunch time traffic. My lighter clicked a few times before it flamed to life and lit my cigarette.

"I see your guard and Miss Amy are gone." Charlie mentioned as we started towards the outer areas of the city.

I nodded, taking a small drag off of my cigarette. "I had Charon take Amy to Miriam's house. She wanted to come to Freddy's with me today. I had to distract her."

"I am sorry, Miss Eva. What is the meeting about today? I was not invited."

"It's a Don's meeting. Only guards and Dons are allowed." I ashed my cigarette out the window.

"Aah, that's why we didn't get an invite. Makes sense. Are we going to Freddy's or Herrings?"

"Freddy's, Herring is ill."

Charlie hated it when he and the others weren't allowed. Meaning drivers, soldiers and sitters. It sucks, I like having Charlie and the drivers at the meetings because they keep the tension loose, but now it would just be us five Dons and the tension would be thick. It scared me some times, the way us Don's can never have a friendly meeting, besides Freddy and I. But it's what I expect from our meetings, tension, because we are discussing things about our small armies and the trades coming through our city. Tension was just a fact of life with us and it was not going to change any time soon.

My heels clicked as I walked through Freddy's mansion, towards the back room where he had a large circular room built in for our meeting. The five Don's in the room were lacking Herring, which made the tension already thick. I sat between Freddy and Dominique. Clark and Richard stared at our newest addition, the one I forgot about.

House.

He was staring at me with piercing eyes and a sleezy smile. His thin typical mustache curled into his wormy lips and made my stomach roll. Freddy stood, clearing his throat.

"Ok, so we are all aware of the wars dying, correct?" a low yes hissed around the room. "Well it seems the enemy has wormed its way into the city. We have received word that they have settled in a building somewhere near the Pentagon. We need to send troops out to check the abandoned buildings around that area and then spread out."

"What if someone gets hurt? Were low on soldiers and gangs from nearby cities are trying to take over. What if it's just a rumor spread by them to get our defenses down?" Richard spoke up, his green eyes bright with worry, fury.

"I agree with Richard, we cannot let our soldiers go out there without some sort of backup plan, or just not at all." Dominique nodded, settling back in his chair.

"What happens when we protect a little turf and then the reds take over? What would our battle have been for? nothing, we need to think of the city as a whole and not chunks." I glared directly at Dominique.

He ignored me. "We cannot let our lands be taken when we can deal with a few reds. Protect our homes first, city later."

"The city is our home you moron, I agree with Freddy and Don Evangeline. We need to survey the city before we take care of rival gangs. While searching for these reds we can also scout out for any suspicious citizens. It's a very simple solution." House said, lighting a cigarette.

Clark scoffed, sipping on his whiskey. "You are just agreeing so you can suck on some asshole. Shut your mouth boy, your new to the game. We do not go after the reds. We set up a perimeter around the city and watch for suspicious acts. That's all. no sense in going in the city and getting ambushed by reds or rivals…"

I zoned out. I didn't care about any of this right now. I don't know how I could have come out here and attended this meeting when my daughter if away from me and with Charon, not that I don't trust Charon. It's just strange to think of my daughter away with a new guard.

Maybe I can show my thanks to Charon for going through hurricane Miriam today. I can take him out to do something, eat or shop or whatever. I have to do something, something to thank him and help him get more comfortable around me and Amy…

* * *

_Sorry its so short, I was dealing with these little wild kittens and I had to wrap this chapter up real quick_


	5. What The Fuck?

_ Yes, Mr. House. I just couldn't help myself, I had to add him in here because he just seems like the total stereotype of the characters I claim as my own in this story. Plus I just love Mr. House for reasons unknown._

* * *

**Charon**

When your eye twitches it is the brain sending messages to your nerves and muscles because of stress. In turn to the messages, the muscles send you a message in the only way it can.

What does it mean when both of your eyes are twitching?

I stood there, in the center of a room full of small girls in pink ballet outfits. Eva had forgotten to mention that Miriam was a ballet instructor. I watched the woman from across the room, her stern features settling in my mind as she analyzed me. I guess all teachers were like that because it reminded me of the way because it reminded me of my teachers.

It reminded me of the cold way they stared at me, taking in my appearance and hating me for it. Was there more wrong with me than I thought? Was I grotesque or something? Was my face wrong? The way I held myself? Did I look like trouble, not just a bodyguard? Was it because I looked all wrong in here, surrounded by fluffy pink things and giggling little girls? If someone looked in they would assume the worst. It was probably because it was I, a large armed man, that was here with Amy and not her mother.

"Ok girls, snack time!" Miriam barked out, clapping her hands.

The small girls cheered and pranced into a long line in front of the woman. One girl fell, a tiny thing with short brown hair. She scrambled to her feet and hurried in the line to Amy, holding onto her arm. Amy looked over at her and smiled, looking forward again as the line moved.

I sighed and moved to the wall, crossing my arms and leaning back against the cold surface. It soaked in through my leather armor and tensed up my muscles, but I didn't full away, just forcibly relaxed myself into it. I closed my eyes and knocked my head against the wall for a moment, feeling all of my thoughts dissipating. My mind had taken me to horrible places today, places I wanted to stay away from and a little pain was just the cure I needed.

"What is your name?"

I opened my eyes, glaring down at Miriam. She was a brave little woman, that was for sure. If she was a man I would have clocked her already, but then again Amy would not be here and I would not be here so it wouldn't matter. Her eyes scrutinized me more now that she was closer, making me shift my feet. I wasn't nervous, I was aggravated. I don't like people so close to me. I don't like women so close to me. I had never had to deal with women before, and the only men I had to deal with were my classmates and I was fighting against them constantly so not an exactly good reference.

"My name is Charon." I stated blankly.

She ran her eyes over me again. "Amy said you lived with her and her mother."

"Yes, I do. I am Evangeline's cousin. I am moving through town to be shipped to the battlefield in a few days. Evangeline warned, me of your beauty. She was correct in that I should be cautious with myself."

Damn Evangeline was right, the line worked. The woman blushed slightly and looked around, reaching back to play with her taught bun of hair. She cleared her throat and looked back up at me daringly, her form relaxed and her hip cocked. Fuck, now what had my employer gotten me into?

"Oh, well if that's all. I thought you were like…a guard or something. I mean you carry your gun around with you off duty? That's a little dedicated."

I shrugged. "I can be called in for duty at any moment, no need to leave the weapon or armor at home if that is the case."

She nodded like she understood. "Well, your awfully brave," she smiled shyly, turning back to the dancing girls and clapping her hands. "Alright girl, one two…"

I zoned out again, leaning into the wall and getting comfortable once more. Now the dance instructor was coming on to me. What the hell, did Evangeline think it was funny? Did I even have to tell her? I feel like I need to. Guess I have no choice, seeing as she'll ask me what happened today. I do not remember where she told me she would be today, and I don't remember if I asked her. She is my employer, she holds my contract, so shouldn't I keep up with her and her daily activities? Yes, I should, but I am not. That is wrong, in my mind at least.

I was trained to not stray from my employer, never keep my distance from whomever they may be. Even when their profession is the same as Evangeline's. I know what she does, who she is now. I could hear people whisper about her when we went out last night. They called her awful things, steering clear of us as we walked down the street.

"She's one of _them_, don't you know?"

"…smuggler…"

"…drug dealer…"

"…whore…"

"…sadist…"

Each accusation had made me angry, made me shake, and I just covered it up for Evangeline as not liking social situations. Well, truthfully that was maybe some percentage of the shaking, but mostly it was the slander against my employer. How could they know all of that when she just seemed like another face in the crowd? The other mob leaders in the city drove flashy cars and had humungous houses and bought their children lavish gifts. Evangeline tried her best to stay below the radar and keep a low profile, having her own drivers and small cars and I do not believe Amy has truly amazing toys. I think she has a couple dolls and a doll house. She does not seem like a child that would need much. I had seen her in the kitchen this morning playing with spoons. She was easy to distract and entertain.

"Charon?"

I looked down at Amy and the small girl that had attached herself to Amy in the line. "What is it?"

The strange girl looked away, her cheeks tinted red. Amy huffed at her friend, but smiled and looked back up to me. "Do you think Momma with let Sue come home with us?"

I bit my tongue. "I am not sure, but I can say I do not think she will mind."

Amy's smile widened. "That's what I thought. We wanna leave now, if you don't mind calling Marcus?"

I nodded and told the girls to stay in the small white building, walking outside to a payphone. A patrolman on horseback trotted past me, eyeing the weapon on my back with wary eyes. I rolled mine and dug the correct change from my pocket, dialing the driver's car phone. It rang several times before Marcus' gruff voice answered.

"It is Charon, Amy would like for you to come and pick us up. She wants to go home."

"Alright, I'll be there in about twenty minutes that ok?"

"Perfect."

We hung up and I stared out across the busy open area in front of us. There were families sprawled around the park, laying out on checkered blankets and tossing footballs around. A small girl and her mom were under a large oak tree near the road, the mother crouched in front of the crying girl as she wiped away tears with a hand, the palm spotted with blood. I watched low riding Corvegas cruise by, one black one slower than the others.

Why did they always make it so cliché?

I pulled my gun form my back just as one slid through the window of the slow car. I opened fire, ducking to dodge a few bullets that sprayed the sidewalk behind me. People screamed, running in a frenzy around me like a swarm of disturbed moths. The woman tending to her daughters wounded hand fell in to the concrete as she tried to run towards my side of the street, her skull bouncing against the black top as her daughter cried, tangled in her mother's legs.

I saw red, standing up abruptly and pumping two shots into the car with deadly precision, seeing one head after another thumping against the windows. Blood prayed from the car, dotting the concrete and my hands. I took a deep breath, calming myself before I strapped my gun to my back and jogged over to the fallen woman and her child. I rolled the woman's limp head to the side, seeing her mouth hanging open and a small trickled of blood drain from her mouth. I pressed two of my fingers under her jaw, feeling a very faint thumping there. I cursed and stood, scooping up the small girl as quickly as I could and running towards the ballet studio. I heard small gasp and one girl scream when I came in, laying the panicking girl on a mat before I rushed back outside to the body.

I pushed everyone out of the way that had gathered, baring my teeth when they protested and crouched beside the woman. I started pumping on her chest, watching the blood I forced out thump from the small bullet holes in her stomach. The sirens were getting closer, close enough for me to stop but I did not want to take a chance on losing her. Her daughter needed her.

Who the hell were those people? Why were they after me, were they from some rival mob group? Most likely, but still why would they come after me? I had only been in Evangeline's employment for a few days, no one would have been able to find out about our predicament in that short time, right? I don't know how these things work, I would have to say something to her when we got home to her. Where was she, was she almost gunned down to? Or was she still at her meeting, maybe she was home safe and sound.

"Thank you sir, but we can take over now," a mechanical voice much like my own cut through my fog of thought.

I nodded at the stone faced paramedic and stood, watching them start to load her onto a bright red board and load her into the back of an emergency vehicle. I turned around and walked back into the ballet studio, seeing Miriam comforting the small girl. She was shaking, large blue eyes blood shot from crying from her hand and watching her mother fall in front of her, on top of her.

"She's fine, she had s call her aunt. She's coming to get he-"

"Miss Amy! Miss Amy where are you?" Marcus came through the door, panicking.

I sighed. "She is fine, Marcus. Right here," I put my hand behind Amy's back and nudged her forward, the small girl named Sue still attached to her arm.

Marcus sighed and rubbed his forehead with one hand, using the other to support his back. "Thank goodness, let's get out of here before the cops swarm. Don't want you caught up in anymore excitement."

I nodded, following the two young girls and our driver out into the streets. People were cleared of the area, a woman in red rushed into the studio, calling out the name Gertrude. I saw people hanging on the fringe of the yellow caution tape bannered around the area, muttering amongst themselves and twitching continuously. What was it with humans and violence? Why did we crave it so much without a true reason why?

I remember the first time I killed someone. He was my third bunk mate, the other two having died from a bad pneumonia that had infested D.C. He was short, to me at least, with bright blue eyes and long brown hair that waved slightly. He was my sparring trainer, my friend and he was the only one in the Institute that I would eat with. The others got disgusting and loud and I could not stand it. We were sparring in the same courtyard I had sat with Evangeline in. others were crowded around us, seeing as we were the only ones that hadn't given up. I was crying, of course I was still crying I was only ten years old then. He was crying too, punching me repeatedly in the arm while my fist made contact with his jaw and chest perfectly. Our trainer was standing on top of one of the ledges, eyeing us with critical eyes.

I hadn't seen what happened, I don't know what brought it out of me but I snapped. I had wrapped both of my hands together and slammed them down on the top of his skull. He collapsed, screaming in pain as my assault really started. I kept beating down on his skull, laughing sort of as I finished him off. By the time I was done his face was mush.

I was congratulated on a job well done and was given jello for the night in a lone room. I cannot believe how easy it was to kill him, seeing as he was my friend. My best friend.


	6. ATTENTION

**ATTENTION:**

**SORRY IT'S BEEN SO LONG SINCE I UPDATED, I'VE JUST BEEN BUSY WITH ANOTHERSTORY I'M CO WRITING WITH Flirtin'WithTheMonster. WE ONLY HAVE ONE CHAPTER UPLOADED BUT HER COMPUTER CRASHED SO WE HAVE TO RETYPE EVERYTHING.**

**I'LL GET BACK TO THIS LATER TONIGHT OR TOMORROW.**


	7. Hobenero

_Sorry it's been so long. I've been busy with a few others stories I'm helping others write. I don't plan on abandoning this story so just stick with me._

* * *

**Evangeline**

I paced back and forth in the center of the foyer, D' Angelo and Rufus pacing with me. They whined at the door, as if they were people and that made me twitch, nervously patting them on the head in an attempt to comfort the dogs. Like that would work when I was shaking as bad as I was. I pulled my hands to my chest, breathing out a shaky breath.

I saw the news, saw the shooting near the ballet studio. I saw Charon hunched over the woman, working on her body until the paramedics came, saw him carry the girl inside the studios. Fuck, I hope my baby was ok. I think Charon can keep her safe. That was why I hired him, that's why I sent him with her today while I went to that meeting. I wanted her safe and sound; I knew the only way to accomplish that was to send Charon with her.

I heard a door slam shut outside and jogged to the door, my heels clicking against the hard floor. My heart was pounding in my ears heavily, drowning out all other sound besides the way the front doors handle jiggled in my hand. I jerked the door open, a huge grin breaking out on my face when I saw my daughter and her friend in front of Charon. They were talking animatedly about something that happened at ballet class, not related to the shooting, and Charon was as stoned faced as ever. I breathed a sigh of relief and leaned against the doorframe, letting the girls pass me while I smiled at Charon.

"It had to have dealt with your position as a Don." He said, walking towards me.

I let him in and shut the door, locking the dead bolt before I turned around to him. He was looking around the house, the dogs on alert as well. I knew there was nothing wrong in the house but Hcaron was on high alert. He almost became one of many lost in the fire of my rivals. This is something I feared, but Charon can handle himself. He is not some hood rat I hired at my convenience. I needed a soldier and I got one. A rather skilled one.

"Yeah, I think it was House."

"House?" he turned to look at me, his eyes hard.

I nodded and crossed my hands behind my back, leaning against the door. "He is obsessed with me. I think he wanted to eliminate any competition that is near me. Or he just wants to knock me down a few pegs."

"Competition?" Charon raised an eyebrow.

I chuckled. "Charon you are not an average man. You are a skilled fighter and you are not ugly. You are rather attractive. More so than House."

That seemed to embarrass him because his cheeks tinted pink and his face went completely blank. Not serious blank but confused blank. I chuckled again and pushed away from the door, twirling a strand of my long hair around my finger, suddenly shy.

"Hey Charon?"

"Yes?" he asked, albeit a lot lower than he had previously spoken.

I cleared my throat. "You uh, you wanna go out somewhere tonight?"

He stared down at me. I could practically see the wheels turning in his head. I could see gears sliding through and past each other, process the suggestion I just made. I wanted to show him how much I appreciated him. I wanted to let him have some fun for once in his long horrid life. I think this would be the perfect time to show him how grateful I was, even though he's only been my guard for a short time.

"if that is what you wish." He said in a monotone voice.

I sighed and ran my hand through my hair. "Charon, if you don't want to go you don't have to."

"No, it is fine. I would enjoy going…out." he forced out through his teeth."

I smiled and clapped my hands. "Well listen. I'll make a few calls, get a tux over here and we'll head out to the show."

I walked past him, heading for the kitchen. Charon followed me closely. "Show?"

I nodded, opening the fridge and getting out a bottle of Quantum. This shit was awesome and addicting. I popped the top against the bar and tossed the cap into the recycling bin. I don't know why I did that, I only had to empty it out once a year.

"Yeah there's a play going on in the stadium up the road, unless you can think of anywhere else to go."

His lips twitched at the corners. "There is one place I could think of. But I do not think you would want to go to such a place."

I stared at him while I lifted the bottle to my mouth. The glowing soda burned its way down my throat but I didn't flinch. "Alright, where is this place? I'm driving."

"Since it is Sunday night we can go to the Arlington Cemetery. The house in the middle of the field is a popular place for the type of people I believe you hang around."

I raised an eyebrow. "Type of people I hang with? How do you know what type of people I hang out with?"

He shrugged and turned around. "I am going to my room to take a shower."

I chuckled and left the kitchen, heading for the phone. I made my calls, making sure Amy's babysitter would come over. She was coming so I called the tux rentals, ordering the size I figured Charon was. By the time he got out of the shower it should be here and we could leave. I rubbed my nose and walked upstairs, leaving a trail of clothes behind me on my way to the bathroom. I shook my hair while I adjusted the water, closing my eyes when I felt the temperature.

Afterwards I smelt like vanilla, my thin body wrapped in a towel as I blow dried my hair and curled it. The waves fell to the middle of my chest now and shined in the bathroom lights. I shook my head a little and decided to go without makeup tonight, padding to my closet and plucking out a deep blue sequined dress. It was tight and fit my curves perfectly so I wore it on special occasions like this one.

I clipped on plain pearl earrings and wore black heels, jogging down the steps to get to my keys. I stared at them for a moment then grinned, tossing them back into the basket. Fuck it, we would be untraceable tonight.

I heard shoes click against the steps and turned around, blinking in surprise when I saw Charon. He was smoothing out the front of the outer jacket. He stopped at the bottom of the steps, nodding at the tux man as he passed by. I nodded as well, opening the door just in time to see Clair, Amy's babysitter, stuffing her phone into her bag.

She froze when she stepped inside, her pale gray eyes running over Charon in that way that teenage girls did. I cleared my throat to catch her attention. Which I did, making her blush and twirl a strand of hair around her finger. I chuckled and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry, I know he's fine." I whispered into her ear.

She smiled and nodded, her eyes darting back over to him. "So um where are you guys going?"

"Were gonna go over to the House and watch Madarium sing Hobenaro. I don't know when we'll be back."

She nodded and waved at Charon shyly. "Hi my names Clair."

I nodded when Charon looked to me for permission. "I am Charon, it is a pleasure to meet you."

He cradled her hand in is and placed a chaste kiss on it. She giggled and held the hand against her chest. I thought it was cute but I wanted to go. So we said our goodbyes and headed out into the nippy air. It was fine without a coat so I didn't bother with going back for a coat. I hooked my arms through Charons as we walked down the street, him never questioning the fact that we weren't taking the car like I said we were earlier.

I couldn't wait to get into this night. I didn't plan on going home tonight. We could rent a hotel room. Maybe the Statesman Hotel? It was a luxurious hotel and I had stayed there more than a few times. I should ask Charon, but I'll worry about it later. Right now we'll just worry about what to get when were in the private heights.


	8. FOR REAL ATTENTION

**ATTENTION:**

**IT MIGHT BE ANOTHER MINUTE BEFORE I GET BACK TO WRITING ON MY STORIES BECAUSE MY COMPUTER ISNT MINE, IT IS MY MOMS BOYFRIENDS AND THEY ARE BREAKING UP. I PLAN ON GETTING A COMPUTER HOOKED UP AT MY HOUSE AND I PROMISE TO START WRITING AGAIN.**

**I AM GOING TO TRY AND MAKE AND POST CHAPTERS FROM MY NEW PHONE, KEEP YOUR FINGERS CROSSED.**

**SORRY BOUT THIS, I WISH IT WASN'T GOING DOWN LIKE THIS BUT OH WELL.**

**NOTHING I CAN DO.**


	9. Burnt House

_So sorry it took me so long, but here's the new chapter. I'll try to compensate with another chapter sometime tonight or tomorrow morning._

* * *

**Charon**

I have never been a part of a formal function, I have never worn a suit, I have never gone an hour without my shotgun or boot on me, my leather armor. I have never been so close to a woman in my whole life, an actual woman so feminine and beautiful. She is brushing against me every so often, laughing and mingling with other upper class folks. Men and women alike approach her, speak to her in their high society tongue, mention contracts they need her to complete, want her to take. And she does so with no fights, no no's or compromises. She takes them without hesitation and I worry for her sanity at this point.

It cannot be good for anyone in her rank to be taking on so many situations, so many tasks, and keep themselves level, controlled. She pauses for a moment, places the fingers of her left hand into the cup she makes with her right hand and raises her chin to the air, looking around the room as if she was looking for someone. I watch her view the room, see her eyes cold and calculating before she hooks an arm through mine, plastering this fake smile on her lips just as a spindly figure comes through the crowd. It is a man, not much taller than Evangeline, with a thin mustache above his lip. He smiles a suggestive smile at Evangeline and I want to growl, but know better in this setting.

"House…I did not expect you to be here," Evangeline sighed out.

He chuckled. "Yes, I did not expect for me to be here either, but it seems my younger sister enjoys the opera and needed a chauffeur."

Evangeline laughs, fake but convincing. "Well meet my chauffer Charon. Handsome young devil is he not?"

House looked me up and down, obvious disdain in his eyes that I raised a brow to. He thought I was not good enough to be on her arm? Oh and he was, as tiny and puny as he is? Damn he was delusional. Evangeline shifted at my side and chuckled, but not at either one of us, at the accident that happened on her side with a waiter approaching a tall robust man. House and I still stared at each other, nostrils flared. I did not like this young man, he was not trustworthy. How did he know Evangeline? Was this the man that had set up that attack at the ballet class?

"I guess so, but I am not in the judgment pool for that," he looked away to Evangeline, eyes half lidded in suggestion she did not pick up on.

She chuckled again, brushing back a wild strange of black. "Well of course not, now where is this sister of yours? I would love to see her."

His eyes darkened at that and he looked over his shoulder then. When he looked back his eyes had not cooled. "I believe she is tied up at the moment. Maybe we will cross paths before we need to leave?"

Evangeline frowned, fake still. "Oh well that is just a shame. Well we must get up to our box. Goodbye House."

"Goodbye Evangeline," his eyes flashed to desperate as we walked away.

Turns out we were not going to the boxes, instead we pushed clear, straight to the doors and out into the early fall air. Evangeline sighed, closing her eyes to a breeze as she wrapped her scarf around her neck. She looked up at me, eyes sparkling. "So what do you wanna do Charon?"

I looked around the street, eyeing the couples walking past, the children skating at a rink across on L'Enfant square. I rubbed my chin and sighed, hunching in on myself. "I do not know, what would you like to do?"

She looked around just like I had, only her eyes sparkled with possibilities every time they flickered to something new. She tugged me to her right, down the road and I followed at her side. We walked for a long time, getting further and further away from the lights of the city and deeper into the farm land of D.C. She removed her heels after awhile and sighed, scrunching up her toes and then uncurling them before we continued down the sidewalk. You could see more stars here, not many, but more than you could in the city. Evangeline was watching them, smiling gently as we walked before she took an abrupt left to a hill. On the top of it sat an old burnt house, looking as though it had caught fire years ago. There were still fence on either side of the dirt driveway where cows and the like grazed, calling to each other every so often.

"What is this Evangeline?" I asked her.

She looked over at me, smiled gently, and then looked over at the house. She said nothing and we continued up the hill. We probably looked like a lonesome couple to the passerby's I saw down below on the sidewalk. I could see them look up briefly, point, and then continue towards the city. We continued as well, climbing up towards this old burnt house and finally stopping in front of the structure. Evangeline wormed her way from my arm and took the last couple of steps forward, towards the frame and ran her fingers over the burnt surface for a moment, looking sad. She looked around, walked through the burnt doorway into the burnt interior and froze there, looking around at nothing.

"I was…I was ten years old when this house burnt down. I was walking home from school, I had missed the bus from school but it was fine. The school wasn't too far from the edge of the city. I was huffing it, saying hello to people I knew, petting any animal I saw. Cows, horses, I even pet a chicken. Can you believe that? Anyway…I was about a mile down the road when I saw the smoke. It was black and made a cloud through the sky, so I started to run. I was curious you know, I had never seen an actual fire before, only on t.v.," she sighed and tilted her head back, looking up at the sky. "The flames were bright, I had never seen such a bright yellow or orange in my life. I had stared forever and ever, wandering what would happen," she looked back at me. "They pulled this couple from the flames, but they were dead already, scorched together with their hands tied around each others. Someone had tied them by their hands and lit their house on fire while they were still alive. Can you imagine such a horrible death?"

"No I cannot."

I couldn't truly. That would be terrifying and painful, to feel yourself burn, roast and die. To swallow smoke like water and choke on it, have your insides burn in correlation with your outside. That must have been a nightmare for them, but at least they were together in their last moments. At least they were not alone and scared, but together and scared. I do not know what it would be like to die, but I have come close enough to know that experience is not something you want.

Evangeline started back towards me. "I was fifteen when I killed first. It was a girl in school, she was mean and she picked on me constantly and she just wouldn't let up. So I…I told her the jock Michael wanted to see her at the park and when she showed up I was waiting for her in a tree, my grandfather's old sniper rifle in my hand, and shot her. She didn't even see it, no one ever knew and no one but you know now." she looked down and started towards the road. I followed dutifully. "Charon, I don't want to lose you alright? I want you to watch your back and mine, I don't just want you to be my bodyguard I want you…to be my friend."

I was silent for a moment. "I can do that if you would like me to."


	10. The Fuuck?

_I know it's short and I meant it to be so I can only hope you guys that are still on board with it like it.  
_

**Evangeline**

I sigh into the sheets of the strange bed, closing my eyes and breathing in the deep smell of lavender soap. "God this is heaven," I moan into the sheet, arms out at my sides.

"There is only one bed."

I look over at Charon, see him nervous by the door, rubbing the back of his left hand with his right. I chuckled and roll onto my back, sitting up, back straight, and smile at him. I hold out my hand to him and he moves forward, taking it in his large hand and he pulls me up. I smiled softened and reach up, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Charon, just be calm ok? It's just a bed, it doesn't bite."

He eyed bed cautiously. "You never know…" he whispered.

I cocked my head to the right, catching Charon's attention. "Charon….are you afraid to share a bed with me?"

He looked away, a shimmer of heat rising to his high cheeks and I smiled a little, moving my hand up to brush my fingertips across his flushed right cheek. His eyes flashed to mine, confused and obviously scared. Why was he scared? I guess if I was a man raised in the environment he was raised in I would be cautious of sharing a bed with a woman. I'm sure he had never even shared a room with a woman, girls maybe, but a full grown woman, well that was like walking into an inferno blind.

I swallowed and pushed myself up onto my toes, closing my eyes and pressing my lips against his softly. He stiffened up, arms slack at his sides but his lips soft. I smiled against his lips and leaned back, planting my feet flat against the carpeting beneath me. He was staring down, looking as confused as Amy when she was trying to figure out a math problem. I reached up and cupped the side of his square jaw, steering his face towards me. He seemed hesitant to meet my eyes but I smiled a disarming smile.

"Charon…Charon it's ok. I'm not judging you, alright? Have you ever kissed a girl before?" He shook his head. "I don't want to make you uncomfortable Charon. If you want we can go home and retire to our separate rooms and we never have to speak of this to anyone alright?"

He seemed to think about it for a moment and I waited for him to think of the right answer. If he wanted to ignore this I was fine with that, I wanted him to like being in my employment, I liked having him there. I felt safe, safer than I had in a long time. I had shared something with him deeply personal, I had told him of the Burned House. It was a common subject around the city, a tragic one at that, and I hated talking about it. But they hadn't died alone, they had each other and I think I could suffer if I had someone by my side. If I had Charon by my side.

His eyes met mine and he shook his head. "I…I wish to stay here for the night."

I smiled and nodded, walking around him and flicking off the lights. When I turned back to him all I saw was his faintly lit silhouette, saw his tense shoulders coiled like a snake ready to strike. I swallowed heavily and unclipped my earrings, dropping them to the floor and stalked towards him, my footsteps silent against the plush carpet beneath them. I stepped back around Charon, my back to him, and closed my eyes when I felt his hand flat against the exposed small of my back. I was shaking a little, I don't know why but I was. I took another breath as I heard shifting of fabric behind me, a jacket and possibly shirt hitting the floor, maybe more but I'm more focused on the hand brushing the straps of my dress to the side. I flinched when the fabric pooled around my feet, but didn't hesitate to lift them and kick the dress somewhere in front of me.

I wanted this…I just…I wanted it. That was all I had to say about it.

I closed my eyes, squeezing them tightly before I opened them and I was stunned by what I saw. The side of the room, the wall ya know, lined with glass. I blinked again, wondering if I was drunk or something, possibly drugged, but no that was the wall and it was there. I swallowed and sat up a little, looking over at the other side of the bed. It was empty, sheets thrown haphazardly to add a second layer to my cocoon. I pushed the blankets off of me and stood out of bed, seeing I was still in my dress. Had I just dreamed of everything?

I looked over towards the bathroom door when it opened, Charon walking out with his white under shirt and pants on. His hair was wet and I had to say he looked damn good. He noticed I was awake and nodded at me. I nodded back, standing and looking for my shoes. I slid them on and sighed, closing my eyes and turning to the door. Something caught my eye when I opened them and I looked incredulously at the earrings on the carpet. I said nothing though, just picked them up and bustled from the room, him at my heels.

It was a dream, Evangeline, that's all it fucking was. Don't look too much into it. You probably did just drop them there and it stuck into the dream. I shook my head, brushing past an elderly couple coming from their room. I heard a murmured 'rude' but I don't care about them, I just care about getting home and getting into my routine. I had places to go today, I needed to push these thoughts from my head and now.


End file.
